Hyneria
'Hyneria' (name meaning "''From Hyner") is a genus of giant, lobe-finned fish that originated during the Late Devonian era in what is now North America. Measuring 5 meters long and weighing 2 tons, this large predatory fish had many similarities to modern snake-heads. A single female Hyneria was brought back to the park from the Devonian 360 million years ago in the episode "Amphibians & Armored Fish". She resides in the marine exhibit of the park. Facts Era & Discovery Hyneria lived during the Late Devonian Era 360–350 million years ago. It shared the waters with Dunkleosteus, Stethacanthus, and other sea animals and was one of the top predators of its time, second after the monstrous Dunkleosteus. It was first discovered in Hyner, Pennsylvania in 1968 and was named after the city itself. Physical Attributes Hyneria was a very large predatory fish, in fact, one of the largest lobe-finned fishes, measuring at over 13–16 feet (4–5 m) in length and weighing in at 1–2 tons (2,000–4,000 lbs.). It had a solid bony skeleton, stout muscular fins and was covered in large scales. It also had powerful jaws and sharp teeth and could swim fast, making it a deadly predator. It used keen eyesight and an acute sense of smell to detect prey, such as large fish and even primitive amphibians, such as Hynerpeton and Stethacanthus. It also had powerful jaws coupled with strong front fins that allowed Hyneria to propel itself onto land. They were able to survive on land in short intervals by using its air bladder as primitive lungs, which would have also helped them thrive in oxygen-deprived waters. Hyneria had powerful fins used to propel its massive bulk through the water with ease. It possessed several dorsal and anal fins near its tail and fluke. It had a slender body that was covered in stripes and scales. Its head is very large with large jaws and relatively small eyes. Behavior & Traits Hyneria was a solitary hunter, only getting together during mating season. However, they were powerful and insatiable carnivores that feasted on anything it could find. Hyneria lived in estuaries, lakes, rivers, and even the oceans of the Late Devonian, though it would sometimes venture onto land for food. Its prey consisted of fish like the primitive shark Stethacanthus and amphibians like Hynerpeton. Victims would be caught in its jaws and then, while still alive, swallowed head first. Fossils suggest that Hyneria would strand itself on the top of mudbanks where they would wait for prey. Its jaws were extremely powerful and could clamp down on its prey, either killing it instantly or mortally wounding it. Its teeth were perfect for gripping onto its victims. The fins of Hyneria were strong and were used to propel it through the water. Having multiple fins meant that its speed and abilities underwater was super-powered. Although a flesh-eating fish, Hyneria, unlike other fish, had the ability to surge onto land and beach itself without suffocating because of its mass. Therefore, it could attack their prey much like an Orca would attack a seal, swimming at amazing speed from deep water and quickly up to the shoreline to catch their food. They did this mainly to reach prey that had strayed onto land to escape its wrath. Hyneria would then clamp down on its prey and then would slam it into the water with its strong jaws. If they, however, missed their prey, they used their remarkably powerful fins to move on the land at least for a short time and take their unlucky prey by surprise. Gallery 1000px-Hyneria.jpg|''Hyneria'' attacking like a Killer Whale 1000px-Hyneria-wwm1_1-1.jpg|''Hyneria'' attacking a Hynerpeton 1000px-Hyneria_grabbing_hynerpeton.jpg maxresdefaults.jpg Trivia * Despite being a fish, Hyneria does appear to make sound effects of its own, some of which are that of hissing sounds similar to snakes or lizards and other unknown sound effects. Category:Fish Category:Sea Monsters Category:Prehistoric Animals Category:Devonian animals Category:Monsters (Life Before Dinosaurs) Category:Sea Creatures Category:Carnivores